Superior Visitors
by overloyalbuddy
Summary: Post BD. The Cullens are suprised when a strange coven of vampires come with a dire warning about the Volturi...and an offer. My first fanfic. Rated T just in case I go over the edge.
1. Discovery

**I do not own Bella, Edward, Esme, Emmett, or any other character made by Stephenie Meyer. The ones I invented are mine, however.**

**Esme's POV**

I sat at my desk, bent over my latest project. I was trying to design a window that would disperse and magnify the light as much as possible. But most had ended in failures, or ones that were successful but looked absolutely trashy. I sighed. Maybe I should just put this problem at the bottom of my pile.

"Hey, mum?" My favorite son, Edward, poked his head in the doorway. "Bella and I are going hunting. Want to come?"

"Sure," I agreed, tossing my pencil down with a little too much force. It snapped in half and left a dent on the table. I ignored it and followed Edward.

Bella was waiting for us outside. We were currently living in Maine, in a town that, much like Forks, was rainy most of the time. Today, however, the cold sun bleakly shone on us, causing the three of us to sparkle dimly.

We began to run; fast as… well, off the top of my head, nothing was as fast as us. I chuckled inwardly.

Bella and Edward, of course, were transforming the run into a race. Edward, always the gentleman, was refraining from using his extra speed (sometimes I privately thought he had been granted _two _powers), but he remained a few inches ahead of Bella. Normally, I either frown upon or ignore it when my children (and sometimes Carlisle) have these bursts of childishness. Today, however, I was in a playful mood, so I joined the marathon.

It surprised them greatly when I shot past them, but they soon recovered and were speeding after me in 1.231 seconds.

Edward almost immediately shot past me, and Bella eventually caught up and ran neck in neck with me.

**Bella's POV**

My Edward was waiting for us at the riverside, humming a song he had composed and dedicated to Nessie's fast growth. Esme took the last hundred yards to her advantage and shot forward the beat me to the river.

"Edward," I breathed as I took his hand, but he raised a hand to shush me. He sniffed at the air, and then smiled. I took a slow whiff as well.

_MMM! _I thought sarcastically. The scent of any ungulate didn't exactly warm the cockles of my heart, even after a decade of vampirism.

As Edward crouched, the wind blew another way, and I caught a new scent… Sun. Honey. Lavender. Acacia. I listed a few names halfheartedly, but I knew what the new scent was.

An unfamiliar vampire.

"Watch out," Esme shrieked as five swift vampires strung into the glade.


	2. Hello

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**Edward's POV**

As I shot out, grabbed Esme, and pulled her behind me, I wondered why I hadn't heard there thoughts as they had come in. I could here them now, but why not then?

_Are you Edward? _A tall female, obviously the leader, asked me in thought.

My jaw dropped.

How did she know who I was, and what I could do? I slipped an inch closer into my crouch.

The other's thoughts were a blur of panic and confusion – _save help protect Renesmee save against help Volturi danger help protect no danger Renesmee Carlie Cullen Volturi HELP NO SAFE!!!_

"SHUT UP!" I roared. The jumble of thoughts dwindled into an urgent hum. I glared at them.

The leader had long light brown hair and wore a black tunic. A stocky brunette male hovered over her shoulder. To there left was a hulking, tall, dark haired male who was holding hands with a petite red haired female.

In the rear was a blond male whose eyes flicked from one person to the next.

"Who are you?" Bella asked, moving up to stand next to me.

"I am Marie," the leader answered. "This is my mate, Martin. The redhead is Rosalyn, and her mate is Samuel. The blond in the back is my cousin, Gabriel."

"Why couldn't I hear you?" I growled, not relaxing one bit.

"Samuel's gift is stealth," Rosalyn cut in with a soft soprano. "Other's gifts usually don't work on him or the people around him until he's been sensed."

"Why are you here?" Esme asked, slipping out from behind my protection.

Gabriel, the blond, gave her a measuring glance. "To warn you. The Volturi have made a final decision.

The Cullens are to be executed."

**Yes, I have become addicted to cliff hangers...REVIEW!**


	3. Talented

***Said in a high, singsong voice* REVIEW!**

**Bella's POV**

If I was still human, there is no doubt in my mind that all the color in my face would have drained at that point. Esme, Edward, and I stared at the strange coven.

As I locked eyes with the small one, Rosalyn, I realized that their eyes were gold, indicating that they were vegetarians. But, disconcertingly, there were also traces of red in their brilliant glittering irises.

Edward recovered first. "Perhaps you should tell us your story."

"No," the short, muscular one – Martin – interrupted. "The rest of your family should hear this, too."

"Certainly," Esme replied. "Follow us."

**Carlisle's POV**

I sighed, looking up from the chess game I had just won – for the 234th time in a row – with the computer.

Alice, Jasper, and Emmett were sitting on the couch watching the news. Rosalie was upstairs, in one of her pensive moods. Nessie was going through her Sudoku book at the dining room table, and Jacob was chatting on the phone with the one member of his pack that was still an active wolf – Quil.

Suddenly, Alice sprung to her feet, staring intently at a point in the future.

"What is it, Alice?" Jasper and I asked at the same second.

"Bella, Edward, and Esme are coming home," she stated slowly, "and they're bringing people with them. It's strange, but I can't concentrate on the strangers, like they keep slipping away. I would guess… there are four of them."

Everyone had gathered around Alice, even Rosalie had flew own the stairway to listen better. Jacob snapped his phone shut. Alice blinked; her vision had ended.

"Should we go out back to meet them?" I asked in a low voice. Alice nodded uncertainly.

In a split second we were all waiting by the back porch.

We didn't have to wait long. 2 minutes, 24.78 seconds later, Edward ran from the treeline, closely followed by Bella, my angel, Esme, and five unfamiliar vampires.

"Carlisle, this is Marie, Martin, Samuel, Rosalyn, and Gabriel," Edward introduced. I nodded at them, extending a hand. Marie shook it briefly.

"Excuse me," Esme began, "but I was wondering if any if you were… gifted, like Samuel."

"Why, yes," Marie said. "In fact we're all gifted."

"Really?" Rosalie asked incredulously. "Do you mind… telling us what they…?"

"Of course," Marie – who I was beginning to label as the spokesperson – agreed. "I can read souls."

"Come again?" Edward asked.

"Much like you can read minds, Edward, I can read souls," Marie maintained. "It's somewhat like Jasper's talent, but more… long-lasting. I don't really know what Bella is feeling right now, but I know how eternally selfless she is, though she often calls it selfishness."

"So – you read personalities?" Jasper wondered.

She smiled. "Sort of."

Martin stepped up. "I… have an offensive skill, somewhat akin to Kate of Denali's. I should show you, and for diplomatic purposes I won't try it on one of you. Samuel?"

With a heavy sigh, Samuel let go of Rosalyn's hand and darted up to Martin's side. Martin twisted to stare his friend in the face.

Gasping, Samuel stumbled backwards, with un-vampire like clumsiness. I noticed that both Edward and Jasper winced, a flash of pain on their faces.

"Yes," I murmured, "however, _would _you use it on me?"

"Of course."

He stared at me, straight in the eye. The most peculiar, indescribable sensation overwhelmed me.

It felt like a slap in the face; like I was suddenly ten times more aware of everything. If I had a heartbeat, it would've sped up a hundredfold. My breathing sped up unnecessarily. This pathetic little description does not give justice whatsoever.

"How… intriguing," I breathed, eyes wide. He smiled, nodded, and backed up.

Gabriel looked up, a small grin on his face. "I'm going to demonstrate my talent. Brace yourself…"

Quite unexpectedly, I could sense everyone (except for Bella's) else's consciousness, like a spark of life for everyone in our vicinity.

_I can make mental chat rooms. _Everyone in my family twitched at the sound of Gabriel's mental voice.

_Indeed, _I agreed weakly. Sensing my discomfort, he relinquished the "chat room."

We all stood there awkwardly for a long moment. Marie broke the silence. "Roz, aren't you going to show them?"

"Of course," she sang, dancing up to us. She grinned at us slightly. "Like Gabriel, I should show mine rather than explain it."

"Go ahead," I said cautiously, but Marie spoke up in a sharp voice.

"No, Roz, d –"

It was too late. The sweetest scent I had ever smelled entered my nostrils. Slowly, an almost forgotten feeling came over me. I was getting drowsy.

Then, for the first time in almost three-and-a-half centuries, I fell to the ground, fast asleep.

**Review…**


	4. Tale

**First off, a huge thanks to CalebIsMyEdwardAndImHisBella and VampireNick009 for reviewing. Follow their lead, peoples.**

**Alice's POV**

Sleep was so unique to me, as I do not remember ever doing it. It was heavy and warm, like one of Esme's homemade quilt. I loved it. I never wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, it did.

One minute I was dreaming, actually dreaming, and the next, I was awake, as alert and as much an insomniac as ever.

I was lying on Jasper's lap. He was just awakening as well. What a singular sight for me.

We were in the living room. Both my family and Marie's coven were under Rosalyn's strange influence, though they seemed to be snapping out of it.

Bella and Rosalyn were sitting on the floor, talking softly. Even with my superb vampire hearing I could only catch a few disjointed words. You… indeed… sleep… Renesmee… I eventually stopped trying to listen.

Everyone else regained full consciousness at the same basic second, and I wondered idly why I had been the first.

Carlisle was the first to speak. "Rosalyn, my family and I thank you for that most singular treat."

Rosalyn bowed lightly, darting lightly to her Samuel's side.

"Now, tell us everything," Edward pled. Marie stared at him coolly.

"I shall. But be patient. It will make a bit more sense if I start at the beginning. Dearest coven mates, feel free to jump in at any time.

"In the year 978 AD, Gabriel's mother gave birth to him. She died of complications a few hours later. No one knew who his father was, so he was sent to be raised by his uncle, a wealthy noble who lived in northern England. His wife had just gone through a successful childbirth, with me as the end result.

"Gabriel and I grew up together in our secluded keep, siblings for all intents and purposes. My father decided to make Gabriel a scholar, a musician, one of the greatest minds in Great Britain. He paid many tutors to come in and teach my cousin. He learned fast, eventually surpassing his teachers in singing, the lyre, the flute, and the organ. He mastered eight languages and could name every leader of every country in order. Great things were in store for him.

"I, on the other hand, was being groomed to be a lady. My mother, my four older sisters, and my many aunts all trained me in etiquette and decorum. I was taught to sew and spin and cook. Men came from all over the countryside to woo me. I spurned them all.

"I see the raised eyebrows, Cullens. This was the tenth century after all. Wasn't everything supposed to be dark and barbaric? Well, almost everything was, but my father's keep held a certain air of sophistication about it, and light and beauty sprung from it and a few other places like it. There's something you won't find in your history books!

"Gabriel and I were the Middle Ages' version of sheltered children. My father protected us from the savagery of the outside world.

"Our peaceful world was destroyed on a cold winter night in 999. My whole family was invited to a festival in the nearest town. Everyone – my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, Gabriel, and I – went.

"We were repulsed by the disgusting way everything ran. We were quite the rare spectacle though – twenty years old, and both virgins!" Marie's voice went deadly at the end.

"Several men tried to seduce me. I easily rejected them all. My sisters told Gabriel to watch and protect me.

"Things got wild. One man, Beelzebub, ironically, would not take my no's for an answer. He kept on getting uncomfortably close, asking me to take a drink, to visit with him. I firmly pushed him away and fled into the crowd.

"He found me again, the persistent demon. I had lost Gabriel, and I could not spot any of my family.

"Just as Beelzebub was grabbing my arm and dragging me to a dark corner, Gabriel appeared.

"Blows were exchanged. A minute later, Gabriel and I were fleeing an enraged Beelzebub.

"In the cold night outside the town gate, Gabriel and I caught our breaths. We decided to wait for our family to leave the town to join them.

"No such luck. Beelzebub, who had gathered some of his equally low-life friends, found us. They began to circle us, like buzzards…"

Marie broke off. She was staring at Rosalie, whose jaw was extremely taut.

"I am very sorry for your fate, Rosalie. I am sorry that Carlisle hadn't come sooner, or that you hadn't had someone like Edward… or Jerome.

"Yes, Jerome was the name of the vampire who saved us. They had beaten and cast aside Gabriel, and were beginning to assault me.

"Jerome came. Like a minor godling, he shredded apart every one of my attackers. Then he turned to us, and with the gentlest expression possible, bit us both.

"When our three days of transformation were up, Jerome explained what we were. He guided us through our newborn year, helped us hone our gifts, then he left us. We have not seen him since.

"Gabriel and I became nomads. We traveled all over Europe and Asia. Nothing very exciting happened for half a century.

"Then, in 1057, while in Norway, we found a young 15 year old girl starving to death in Oslo. Overcome by compassion and grief for the dying skeleton, I changed her.

"When she was done, I marveled at the red-haired beauty I had saved. She told me her name was Rosalyn.

"Later that day, Gabriel made some comment or other that set off Roz's newborn temper. In her rage, she let out her talent.

"When we woke up, we found that Rosalyn had decimated a small village near were we had been staying. The rest of her newborn year, we only inhaled when she was not around.

"When Roz was past her first year, we began to travel again, meandering south. Then, when we were in Istanbul (which had then been Constantinople) in 1064, we found Samuel."

Marie halted in her story, looking inquiringly at Samuel. He picked up the story in his sorrowful-sounding baritone.

"Marie would like me to give you a brief history on where I came from. I was a merchant in old Constantinople. An old female vampire created me in 566 AD, and I cast her out of the city for it. For a century, I was the sole demon of Constantinople. I used my gift to my advantage when other vampires came a-knocking. None of them stayed very long.

"Then, when Marie's coven came, I found my soul mate in that perky, egotistical little redhead. When they left, their coven had grown to four."

Marie took over again. "We continued to travel all over, adding Africa and Australia to our tour of the known world.

"In 1243, my coven was passing through Austria. We made a few days stop in Vienna, were we met the last member of our coven. Martin.

"We met him in a theater. He was the lead character in the play. I could sense his vampirism, Gabriel sent him a mental 'IM' that we wanted to speak with him, and we snuck backstage after the final bows.

"We talked. Apparently he had been in the theater group for nearly a decade. He would have to leave soon, because they were starting to be suspicious about his lack of aging. He asked if he could accompany us for a while. I agreed.

"As we were leaving Austria, we took one last look at the country. The rolling green hills, the lazy sun, the light-spiritedness of the people. I decided we simply could not leave. We permanently claimed Austria as our hunting grounds. Martin and I became mates soon afterword."

Rosalyn piped up. "I suppose you noticed the strange color of our eyes. A mix of gold and red. Let me tell you how it came about.

"In 1317, Samuel and I were strolling down the street in Maribor, I noticed two small children playing outside their home.

"In that instant, I could remember every drop of my human life in perfect detail. I then remembered the hundreds of people I had callously slaughtered. Guilt overwhelmed me. I felt like a terrible person.

"That night, I called a coven meeting, and represented my new philosophy, one that a few other vampires in the world have adopted. I proposed that we only feed on the evil humans. The rest of the covens agreed. And we have kept that rule for 700 years.

"Now, Gabriel had been off and on travelling the world by himself. And only a decade later, in 1330, he returned from a journey to Sri Lanka, where he said he had met a strange vampire with golden eyes who fed on animals."

All the Cullens straightened a bit taller.

"So there is another vegetarian out there?" Carlisle asked excitedly.

"No," Gabriel sad flatly, "He was killed in the Years of the Immortal Children. Continue, Roz."

"Indeed. So Gabriel described in detail the beauty of those amazing golden eyes until Marie demanded to see this wonder himself. Gabriel ran out into the night, took down a ibex, and came back with his eyes a lovely buttery color. Marie loved it.

"However, we didn't want to give up human blood totally. So we decided to hunt a human first, then hunt an animal just to give our eyes that beautiful golden color. Of course, we discovered pretty quickly that when we do that, our eyes retain a certain bloody tint. We believe it is worth it, thou.

"Thus the Hunting Code of the Austrian Coven:

_Hunt only those whose hearts are cold_

_Then drink so that your eyes turn gold._"

Marie chimed in, "And so we lived for two centuries or so. But, in 1546, we were discovered by the Volturi.

"They came to us, intrigued. Your good friend Eleazar was with them, babbling that we could become great assets to their ranks. Aro extended the offer. We refused.

"However, they were persistent, even annoying at times. We wondered why Chelsea didn't just bond us to them, but we suspected that we had formed ties far too strong for her powers.

"Finally, we decided that if the Volturi needed us once in a while, we would be there for hired help. They were thrilled to meet this compromise.

"Five centuries have passed. The Volturi come every decade or so with great treasures, and request us to take out some coven or to make a treaty with a nomad or something.

"A fortnight ago, we were summoned to Volterra. Aro, well, it was more Caius than Aro, demanded that we take you out.

"Now you must realize, Cullens, that there are certain times when my gift expands a thousand times, and I glean a lot more fro my surroundings than I normally do. I'm not quite sure why.

"Anyways, one of these times occurred at that moment. In that instant, I knew all about every one of you. I decided that you were too good to waste.

"I refused to their demands, and declared that I would do all in my power to stop them in their rampage. Roz knocked them out right then and we – "

Marie halted then, and I thought her eyes flickered to Edward. Hmm. She was hiding something. I tried to look ahead to see what it was, but Renesmee and Jacob blocked it out. Dang half-breeds.

Marie picked up slowly. "Anyways, that's the whole story. That's why we're here.

"To help you kill the Volturi."


	5. More Visitors

**Okay, folks, that is it. I am setting down a new rule. I will not put out a new chapter until I get a few reviews for the last one. Understood? **

**Bella's POV**

I froze. What was this coven and announcing things like that (**And What's with this author and his love of cliffhangers?**)? Did they _want _to restart my heart with all the shocks they gave us?

"Well – I – I," Carlisle stammered. "I don't know what to say."

"Of course," Marie added quickly. "Even with our advanced powers together, I realize that we're no match for the Volturi."

"Is that what you were hiding from me?" Edward asked.

"Yes," she agreed. "Um, so we actually picked up a few of your friends on the way. They're waiting right outside the door."

"Why can't I hear them," Edward asked, his voice almost a growl.

Samuel waved his hand cheerfully, "I extended my gift to work on them."

"Now, be patient with me, Cullens," Marie pleaded. "I do have a severe theatric streak – let me test it out. Siobhan?"

Suddenly, my old friend Siobhan was in the room, flanked by her mate, Liam, and the diminutive Maggie. They bowed.

Siobhan walked – more like rippled – over to sit next to Esme. Liam crouched – not in a threatening way – at her feet. Maggie bounded over to sit in Renesmee's lap.

"Benjamin?"

Our Egyptian friends, Benjamin and Tia (Unsurprisingly, Amun and Kebi were not there) materialized as well, then moved over to lean against the wall.

"Zafrina?"

The frightening Amazons zoomed in: Zafrina, Senna, and Kachiri. Renesmee squealed with delight and bounded up to hug her good friend. Eventually the Amazons simply stood near Emmett and Rosalie.

"Huilen?"

The short vampire Huilen and her nephew, the half-vampire Nahuel zipped into the room, inclined here heads to us, and sat on the floor close to the Egyptians.

"Tanya?"

The Denali clan were instantaneously there: Tanya, Kate and Garrett, and Eleazar and his Carmen.

After the squeals of delight and hello's were over, Marie said, "We couldn't rouse up any nomads. Our apologies."

"No Romanians?" I called dryly, glad that Stefan and Vladimir were absent.

Marie snorted. "Actually, they're in Russia, trying to rouse a ;large coven to help them destroy an outpost of the Volturi."

**And, yes, I am giving you all such a pitifully small chapter as punishment for the dearth of reviews. **

**REVIEW!!!**


	6. Hear me Roar

**Hello, all. Sorry it took so long. Perhaps this is an example in the future for you to REVIEW!**

Bella's POV

The large group of friends broke into small groups. Some went upstairs, some outside, and a few remained sitting – namely Marie, Jacob, Edward, Nessie, Gabriel, and I.

I distinctly heard Nessie's stomach growl. She hadn't had human food for quite a while now. I flinched, knowing what was coming.

Jacob sprung up to get something for his beloved, but Edward got in his way.

"I'll do it," my husband growled.

"No thanks," Jake snapped.

"She's my daughter."

"She's my wife."

"She's been my daughter longer than she's been your wife!"

"I love her more!"

While the above argument was going on, I slipped into the kitchen. Unbidden, Gabriel came to help me, which made things even _more _quick.

While Edward and Jacob were arguing about how far into eternity they would love Nessie, I plopped a plate of human food in front of my daughter. She smiled at me gratefully.

I turned around to thank Gabriel, but his warm grin said I didn't need to.

For an instant, I was caught up in his golden-crimson irises. They suited him quite… nicely…

I snapped out of it immediately.

Edward and Jacob walked away from each other, snarling to themselves angrily.

I laughed and pecked Edward on the cheek. He lightened up slightly and kissed me heavily. I responded with gusto.

"Hey, hey, hey," Jacob intervened. "I just had lunch!"

Gabriel chuckled. I noticed how perfect and bell-like his voice was, even for a vampire.

Edward furrowed his brow, looking at Gabriel, then at me, then back at Gabriel. His eyes suddenly widened, then narrowed.

"Bella… may I speak to you… _privately?_" Edward asked, a razor edge to his voice. I followed him outside bewilderedly.

We ran a few hundred meters, just out of Gabriel's earshot. Edward glared at me.

"Baby, what's _wrong?_" I asked.

"Are. You. Falling. In. Love. With. Gabriel?" He breathed, hands tight on the tree he was leaning against.

"NO!" I gasped, but then hesitated. The way his bloody eyes had seared at me…

Edward's eyes never seared. They only smolder.

I glared at my husband. "Let me think, Edward…"

He suddenly exploded.

"I AM VAMPIRE!!! HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!"

I stared at a seething Edward.

Then I did something I never though I was capable of.

I decked my Edward.

Straight. In. The. Face.

**Ah, another cliffy…**

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	7. A Conglomeration of Happenings

**So****…**

**Why is it, that only CalebIsMyBellaAndImHisEdward and VampireNick09 have the courage to review to my chapters? I hereby declare the rest of you cowards. Until other people begin to review, this story is dedicated to those to.**

**Capiche? **

**Edward's POV**

If I was still capable of being knocked out, I would have been. As it was, the pain from Bella's right hook caused so much pain I was momentarily incapacitated.

When I opened my eyes, Bella was glaring at me, breathing hard in her fury.

"Edward," she forced out of her clenched jaw. "Listen to me _very carefully. _I am _not _falling in love with Gabriel. I am merely… intrigued by him. He seems like a good person. We could become great friends. I apologize for making it seem otherwise."

I nodded slowly. "I forgive you, and I apologize for misinterpreting the facts.

She nodded.

We stared at each other for a second. Then (as I knew we would), we fell into each others arms.

It was more difficult than usual to manage, what with me making out with my wife and all, but I slowly succeeded in ripping my shirt off.

**Esme's POV  
**

I was in my study, pondering once more my window plans. Alice, Jasper, Huilen, and Tanya were chatting in the corner. Marie was standing still in the middle of the room, eyes closed, feeling the psyche of the environment.

Suddenly Alice took a deep, rattling breath, staring into the future.

"Alice?" Jasper asked tensely.

Alice unfroze. "Unless someone actually _wants _to see Bella and Edward do things that turn my stomach, don't go near the big cedar."

Everyone laughed and went back to their conversation. I glared at my blueprints, wondering how to burn them.

A slender white arm took my pencil and wrote a few calculations and notes on the side of my own.

They made perfect sense.

The light would be properly dispersed, and would make the sunbeam comfortably warm.

Marie grinned at my agape expression.

"Thank you so much!" I gasped, hugging my newfound friend.

"Any time."

**Emmett's POV**

"You okay, babe?" Rose asked, squeezing my hand.

I snapped out of my reverie. "No, Rose. I'm fine."

We were in a small clearing with Samuel, Rosalyn, the Egyptians, Kate, and Garrett, practice fighting. So far, the champion was Samuel. He had beaten everybody he had gone up against.

"Kate, you're next," Samuel dictated sadly (that emo voice of his was going to make me go bonkers).

I grinned as Kate pranced away from her beloved to the center of the clearing.

Samuel was about to meet his match.

Kate smiled, obviously thinking the same thing as I was. "Begin."

Kate raised her hand and sprung forward. I could almost feel the power looming on her fingertips.

Samuel vanished.

No joke. One second he was balefully staring at his opponent, the next, here was no sign he had ever entered the clearing.

We all stared around for fifteen seconds, wondering where the heck he was.

Then, unexpected as a ray of sun on a stormy day, Samuel appeared behind Kate, a hand on the back of her neck.

"Project your talent and my hand will convulse in an unpleasant way," he murmured, almost smiling.

Kate sagged. "You win."

Rage made my vision go bright blood red as Samuel darted away, next to his Rosalyn.

"Samuel," I snarled furiously.

"Yes, Emmett McCarty?" Samuel replied formally, raising an eyebrow at my hostility.

"You. Me. Now."

"Certainly," the depressed Turkish vampire agreed, cracking his knuckles **(can vampires do that? I've always wondered)**.

I darted forward, swinging a fist with gusto and violence. Samuel chuckled darkly.

In a blinding flash, I was on my back, pain lancing through every nerve in my body.

Samuel was two feet away, crouched into such a position that when I shifted, he did as well, so that I could not get through his guard.

"You win," I growled.

Samuel flashed his teeth smugly at me, then sprinted away, into the forest. Rosalyn followed him

"They're a bit superior to us," Rosalie murmured to me, half-consloling, half-enraged.


	8. Unexpected Arrivals

**Hello, adoring fans. Sorry this took so long. I've been having a hard time finding ideas. Then again, with only one review (another one from one of my Favorite Two Readers), perhaps you all deserve the delay…**

**Review!!!**

**Bella's POV**

Edward was leading me back to the house. Warm memories of the last few hours _almost _made me lose my perfect concentration.

As we entered the yard, Edward stiffened and began walking around to the front.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, bewildered.

"Do you remember Gianna, that human girl in the Volturi?" Edward asked, teeth gritted.

"Yes."

"Well, the Volturi changed her. And apparently she has an interesting talent."

"Which is…?"

"She can make an image of herself show up anywhere in the earth and talk with people. She's not physically substantial, but her mind is mostly here."

I gasped. "So she's…"

"In the front yard, waiting for everyone to gather around to give her message."

Without saying a word to each other, we zipped around the house, where all the guests and family was standing around a ghostly illusion of a beautiful woman.

"Greetings, Cullens, Austrians, and others who have chosen to die for them," the woman said when we arrived at Gabriel and Marie's side. "The Volturi hereby condemns the Cullens and their allies with heresy, sedition, and insubordination. You will all die."

There was silence for a second. Then Edward began to chuckle.

I stared at my husband in amazement. How could he be laughing? There was nothing funny!

Alice let off a high, soprano giggle. Marie joined in with a delirious cackle, which was picked up by Gabriel, Zafrina, and Tia.

Gianna looked terribly flustered and embarrassed. I realized that they were trying to terrify her and infuriate Aro and Caius. I laughed, harsh and brief.

Edward stopped laughing and muttered in my ear. "If only we had someone with a power like Jane's! Kate won't work because she has to touch them… Samuel!"

"Already on it," the tall vampire murmured from behind us. "I only have a weak hold on her mind. The only reason she hasn't departed yet is because I haven't et her. If she makes a concentrated effort, however, I can do nothing."

Sobbing hysterically at the jeering crowd, Gianna croaked. "You will pay!"

Then she dissipated into a long dribble of clear smoke.

The fake laughs gave way to murmurs of panic and confusion. Everyone was berating over what we would do next.

Before the group could really break up, Edward, Alice, Marie, and Gabriel looked up in rapt concentration at the far treeline.

A new vampire I had never seen strode calmly from the forest, chin high.

Marie and Gabriel shrieked at the same time:

"_Jerome!_"

**CLIFFY!!! *Dark, cold, laughter.***

**Pwetty Pwease Review??? *Sniffle***


	9. A True Immortal God

**Okay before I start, (thanks for the speedy reviews {irashaimasen90 is now added on my Honored Reader List}) I just wanna say that I do cliffhangers because it helps me keep the plot going and continue posting things, not just because it infuriates CalebIsMyEdwardAndImHisBella (even though that's fun as well).**

**Remember to review.**

**Bella's POV**

As the vampire stepped closer, it was obvious he was like no vampire I had ever seen.

He was so handsome, so _beautiful, _that even Rosalie looked plain next to him. He had a long swoop of dark hair, and his skin was fragrant porcelain.

But his eyes! They were not red, nor black, not even gold! They shone with starry light, with no particular color, the color of stars.

I also noticed that many of the gifted vampires – Edward, Eleazar, Alice, Jasper, and slightly Marie and Gabriel – winced as his enormous presence made itself known.

"Marie! Gabriel!" The vampire called in a voice full of ageless wonder and beauty, waving a hand.

"Um, everyone, this is Jerome, our creator," Marie introduced.

"May I ask why you are very different from the rest of us?" Carlisle blurted out.

The vampire named Jerome nodded. "I am very old, the oldest vampire on the planet, in fact. Long ago, before the days of ancient Sumer, there was a great war among all the vampires. I was the sole survivor. The humans were almost wiped out as well. In the old days, all vampires were as I am. But after The War, all the vampires I created were as you and not as I. The humans slowly began to grow back and have know outgrown their former splendor."

Eleazar gabbled. "S-sir? I believe you are gifted, but I can't pinpoint it, your presence is so overwhelming."

Edward and Marie nodded together. Wondering what they meant, I reached out my shield to cover Jerome, to feel his aura. It was staggeringly huge, and I felt so weak and insignificant I retreated my shield, feeling sorry for Edward, Eleazar, and Jasper, who could not do the same.

"I am not singularly gifted, but simply very powerful and I have a wider arsenal than the New Generation of vampires."

"Could you demonstrate?"

"Surely. Samuel? Jasper? You are the superior fighters. Come against me."

Slightly unwilling, my brother and ally leaped from the throng, hands outstretched to strike at their ancient forefather.

Jerome closed his eyes, and Jasper fell from his flying arc, spasming as some extreme influence came over him. Edward winced at my side.

Samuel lashed out an arm, that brutal, omnipotent arm I had seen him brush aside Emmett with, right at Jerome.

It bounced off harmlessly.

Frowning, Samuel added a flurry of kicks, bites, and punches, all of which simply rebounded off Jerome.

Jerome sighed and placed a palm on Samuel's forehead and, applying only a tiny amount of pressure, drove him into the ground with a final-sounding _crunch_.

Silence, then a smattering of applause. Jerome assisted Samuel to his feet.

"But this is wonderful!" Tanya cried out. "You can help us obliterate the Volturi with a flick of your hand!"

Jerome smiled ruefully. "Unfortunately, I cannot. After I killed the last of the Old Generation, which, incidentally, was my blood brother, I vowed to never battle again. I will not break my oath, not even for this.

"Do not look so downhearted. In the days we have until the Volturi are here, I can help make ready and give tips and such. And in the battle, I will assist where I can. That will be an enormous help, actually, when you see all that I can do.

"Shall we begin?"

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	10. Quil's Arrival

**Danke, Finaljoy, for reviewing, although the review was slightly confusing. **

**Quil's POV**

I was running past the Maine border, zooming towards the bloodsuckers' new house. Jake owed me big time for getting me to come. Fighting alongside parasites? At least it was against other leeches.

A question occurred to me. Precisely how many vamps were their going to be there. I shifted, and grabbed my cell phone.

Barely glancing at the background of Claire and me, I looked at the one bar of service. I sighed. I guessed I would have to be surprised.

I shifted back to wolf and starting zipping through the woods for a few minutes. Another moment and I would be there…

I froze at the disgusting _wave _of vampire scent. To many leeches. I couldn't stand this, I couldn't…

_Calm it, bro, _Jake commanded. He appeared at my right.

_How… many? _I gasped, reeling in the stench.

_Twenty-nine, _Jake answered.

I snorted in detest and shifted, sliping into my shorts. Jake followed suit. **After writing this paragraph, I realized what it sounded like… Sorry.**

"You. Owe. Me. Big." I hissed.

"I know, I know."

**I know, I know. Sorry for the stub. But still review please!**


	11. Oh no

**I am so sorry that this took forever. However, the lack of reviews were slightly disturbing…**

**Alice's POV**

All around the house, their were signs of preparation for the battle, which was sue tomorrow or the day after (I couldn't see clearly, thanks too the wolves).

Battle practice was going on in the yard, with a small aside section honing their special skills. I wasn't among them – my talent wouldn't be of much use while fighting.

Inside the house, vampires were packing and meditating, making sure that no vampiristic fits of lack of control would occur during battle.

My heart nearly broke when I saw Esme and Carlisle staring into each other's eyes, talking silently. It wasn't right. Lives would be lost on the morrow.

Weeping mentally, I flew out the doors, to where Jerome was having a practice bout with Huilen and Tanya.

"Alice!" He called jovially, carelessly knocking his opponents away from him. "Care to try your hand against me?"

"Sure." _Anything to keep my mind busy, _I added silently.

Jerome lashed out at me, suddenly in my face. I ducked and sprung back, avoiding his blows by less than millimeters.

He furrowed his brow, and the future was suddenly filled with visions of my family and allies, torn into pieces and tossed into a blazing fire. After seeing my Jasper's face in the flaming inferno that _could _be, I cried out and stopped avoiding Jerome's attacks.

As Jerome ceased striking out, my vision changed. I could see row upon row of Volturi soldiers stepping onto the shore of a beach I knew too well…

"EVERYBODY OUT ON THE LAWN!!!!" I shrieked. "WE HAVE MINUTES BEFORE THEY GET HERE!!!!!!!"

**A CLIFFY!!!! Yay! **

**PLEAASE REVIEW!!!**


	12. The Arrival Of The Volturi

**Note to my reviewers: I NEED cliffhangers. They help me update. Listen, I've explained all this before. Sorry.**

**Rosalie's POV**

Swiftly, we formed hasty rows: Carlisle, Marie, Eleazar, Edward, Zafrina, Garrett, Esme, Tanya, Rosalyn, and Siobhan in the front. Middle row: Samuel, Liam, Martin, Renesmee, Gabriel, Jasper, Alice, Benjamin, and Huilen. Last row: Maggie, Tia, Senna, Kachiri, Nahuel, Kate, Carmen, Emmett, Rose, and Carmen. Jerome, the wolves, and Bella hovered in the back.

We stood stock still for a second. Then Garrett called out: "They are coming!"

A mass of dark cloaks flew into the yard, falling into a strict formation. Aro and Caius leered. Marcus stared boredly.

Carlisle and Edward stepped forward respectfully. Caius hissed.

Aro announced in a loud voice. "Cullens! You and your compatriots are hereby condemned to death."

"On what charge?" Tia cried, hands balled up into fists.

"Heresy. Sedition. Need I go on?" Everyone was silent. He _did _have a point. We had been planning on fighting them to the death.

The Volturi leaned forward eagerly.

Edward suddenly grinned. "Marcus?"

The leader turned to Edward indifferently. "Yes?"

"It was Aro – he was the one who killed Didyme."

There was moment of silence. Then, shrieking with rage, Marcus sprung on Aro, clawing out with frenzied hands.

"Attack!" Caius bellowed.

**That's the last cliffhanger, I'm almost positive. 'Kay?**

**Review, will you please?**


	13. Battle Of Tears

**Please go onto my profile and take the poll – your opinion matters!**

**I'm pretty sure this is the second to last chapter – just to let you all know!**

**Without further ado, my devoted fans…**

**Bella's POV**

Reacting immediately, I expanded the shield over my allies, protecting them securely.

I flinched as the horde of dark-robed vampires swarmed forward, shrieking with delight in the bloodshed.

Jacob and Quil zoomed away from my side, howling as they fell upon Felix. I smiled grimly. I had never liked Felix, even for a Volturi member.

I could see Marcus shredding Aro apart, eyes ablaze with vengeance for his murdered mate. I felt a surge of pity. Marcus had been a wreck forever. He deserved this.

Jerome stepped up to my side, sorrow in his eternal eyes. He viewed the battlefield as though it were an injured enemy – full of animosity and dislike, but sadness at the way it had fallen.

I sighed and sprung forward, ready to fight. The nearest Volturi was Renata, who was cowering behind a lawn ornament. I sighed and ripped her limb from limb – she never had a chance, the weak thing.

"Benjamin!" I called. He bounded over and lit the scraps of Renata on fire with a eloquent gesture. He then smiled at me and bounded away.

"**MARCUS HAS ALLIED HIMSELF WITH THE CULLENS!**" Jerome bellowed, trumpeting the news. Carlisle's army (we had unanimously voted Carlisle our leader, with Marie as his right hand man [lady?]) called their acknowledgement and continued beating the Volturi up.

We were winning easily. The Volturi had injured Kachiri, but Jerome had snatched her from Demetri's grasp before he could burn her. They hadn't killed a single one of us yet. And we had slain Aro, Felix, Renata, Gianna, Sulpicia, Santiago, and Afton. We were going to win!

That was when it happened.

I was watching Gabriel and Benjamin fighting Jane and a tall male whose name I didn't know. Benjamin pointed a finger at Jane; a stream of fire trickled from it, engulfing Jane completely.

The tall male let out a roar of inhuman rage. He then grabbed Benjamin's wrist and twisted it so that his finger was pointing at Gabriel.

The stream of fire suddenly turned into a raging inferno. I could see Gabriel give me one last smile, then he was gone.

No…

No…

No.

No!

NONONONONONO!

Gabriel wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead. It wasn't conceivable.

I let out a terrible, lamenting shriek of sorrow. NO!

Marie, who was near by, saw her cousin's smoking ashes and screamed in horror. "GABRIEL! NO!"

Others began to call out, yelling and bellowing, forgetting the battle they were in. Gabriel had been so kind, so enchanting, so endearing…

Then the most terrible noise I had ever heard blasted through the yard, higher than a dog whistle and lower than a double bassoon. It pierced my heart, hitched in my throat, and (impossible though it was) made true tears start rolling down my cheeks.

It was Jerome.

He was looking brokenheartedly at one of the finest vampires he had ever made. He couldn't take it in, it was unimaginable.

He must have put some of his powers in that shriek, for every one of the black cloaked vampires (except for Marcus) exploded into ash at the sound of the cry of pain.

The battle was over.

We had won.

No…

We had lost.

**See? No cliffhanger. Happy? **

**Review, readers.**

**And take the poll.**


	14. GoodByes

**The last chapter…**

**Bella's POV**

I sighed.

The whole household had been silent and sullen for days. None of our guests had left yet; they thought that hey should wait for everything to get cooled down.

When we had re-entered the house, the leaders of all the covens had had a meeting (Martin had represented the Austrians, as Marie was nearly in a coma). They had decided to loosely band together, all the covens living in there own countries and such, but grouping together when necessity abounded, taking out the Volturi' responsibilities. This plan had several advantages over the Volturi's design, and we had all agreed on it.

Jerome and Marie were simply sitting there in the living room, staring glassily into space. We were getting worried about them.

Without warning, Renesmee, rising from her seat in Jacob's lap, walked to sit between the two lamenting vampires. After a moment of silence, Renesmee placed a finger on each of their cheeks.

Edward looked up from the solitaire game he had been playing. He furrowed his eyebrows. I sent him an askance glance.

"She's… well… helping them." And he refused to say another word about it.

Nearly half an hour later, Renesmee raised her hand s away.

Jerome stood stiffly. One moment, he was bowing to us, the next he was gone.

It was like a cue had been given. All the South American vampires dipped their heads to us, then sprinted out the door and south.

Siobhan shook hands with Carlisle, said a few farewell words, and lead Maggie and Liam out the door.

Tanya hugged each one of the Cullens, even Jacob, whispered something in Alice's ear, and darted away with her clan.

Benjamin clapped Edward on the back, Tia exchanged a brief repartee with Esme, and the two were off as well.

Marie rose to her feet, a confused expression on face. She cleared tit as she smiled at me.

"We shall see each other again."

Leaving me with that puzzling adieu, she walked out the door, followed by her family, one less then when they had arrived.

I pressed my face into Edward's shirt. "Oh, Edward, why does everything have to be so complicated?"

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**Good-Bye!**


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